MEDLINE is a major source of the primary literature (the original reports of research) in medicine. However, the process of searching, synthesizing, and evaluating the reports of original research can be daunting and time intensive. There are several databases that offer synthesized and evaluated evidence in the form of systematic reviews, meta-analyses. guidelines, and critically appraised topics. This literature is referred to as the secondary literature.

There are other resources meant specifically to assist the clinician and the student in making decisions at the point-of-care. Often these resources are in the form of handbooks or guides, many of which are now available in PDA format.

• Cochrane Library

  The Cochrane Library is a regularly updated electronic library designed to provide the evidence needed for healthcare decision making. See www.cochrane.org for information about access to the Library. The Cochrane Library contains the following databases:
  
  • The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
    
  • The York Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effectiveness (DARE)
    
  • The Cochrane Controlled Trials Register
    
  • The Cochrane Review Methodology Database
    
  UIC users have access to some of the Cochrane Library databases through OvidSP's EBM Reviews database.

• EBM Reviews (OvidSP)

  Ovid EBM Reviews (EBMR) contains four databases. The UIC Library provides access through library work stations or through UIC Internet access. Access is available via the UIC Library home page.
  • ACP Journal Club
    ACP Journal Club consists of the full text of ACP Journal Club (1991-) and Evidence Based Medicine . Editors screen the top clinical journals identify studies that are both methodologically sound and clinically relevant to review. The reviews include an expanded abstract and commentary by the reviewers.
    

  • Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (COCH)
    A collection of regularly updated systematic reviews on the effects of health care prepared by contributors to the Cochrane Collaboration. The reviews are concentrated on controlled trials and are highly structured. Many are meta-analyses, statistically combining data from multiple reviews. It also includes Protocols (Introduction, Objectives, Materials and Methods) for reviews currently being prepared.
    
    
  • Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effectiveness (DARE)
    Provides structured abstracts of previously published good quality systematic reviews from around the world, filtered by reviewers at the NHS Centre for Reviews and Dissemination. It also includes abstracts or reviews from the ACP Journal Club.
  
  

• Clinical Evidence

  Clinical Evidence is a frequently updated compendium of evidence on the effects of common clinical interventions, published by the BMJ Publishing Group. It provides a concise account of the current state of knowledge, ignorance, and uncertainty about the prevention and treatment of a wide range of clinical conditions based on thorough searches of the literature. It is not a textbook of medicine nor a book of guidelines. "It summarizes the best available evidence and where there is no good evidence, it says so."

  Clinical Evidence is available to UIC users in the set of Ovid databases. For print subscription information see clinicalevidence.bmj.com/ceweb/index.jsp.
  

• Essential Evidence Plus

  Essential Evidence Plus (formerly Inforetriever) features clinical support databases, tools, calculators, and daily e-mail alerts. Search by topic or within specific resoucres such as EBM Practice Guidelines, Clinical Rules & Calculators, Derm Expert, Drusgs of Choice, NNT, or POEMS. Availabe through the UIC Library to UIC users via the List of Electronic Resources. Others may visit www.essentialevidenceplus.com/inforetriever/
  

• First Consult

  First Consult offers tools for differential diagnosis, evaluation, and management of medical conditions, patient education and procedure skill review. Designed for use at the time and point-of-care, First Consult can be used on the desktop or on a PDA. Available through the UIC Library to UIC users only via the List of Electronic Resources. For subscription information see www.firstconsult.com

• HSTAT

  http://text.nlm.nih.gov/
  Health Services Technology Assessment Texts (HSTAT) is a free, electronic resource that provides access to the full-text of documents useful in health care decision making. HSTAT includes: clinical practice guidelines, quick-reference guides for clinicians, consumer brochures, and evidence reports sponsored by the Agency for Health Care Research and Quality (AHRQ), formerly AHCRP; AHRQ technology assessment reports; National Institutes of Health (NIH) consensus development conference and research protocols; the Preventive Services Task Force Guide to Clinical Preventive Services; and other guidelines. It also provides a link to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Prevention Guidelines Database.

• InfoPOEMS

  InfoPOEMS (Patient Oriented Evidence that Matters) is a database designed to help keep physicians current and to answer clinical medicine questions at the point-of-care. It includes an option that sends a daily POEM to the user via e-mail and weekly podcasts. InfoPOEMS is part of a larger clinical awareness system called Essential Evidence PLUS.

  UIC users have access via the List of Electronic Resources. Subscription information is available at www.essentialevidenceplus.com

• MedlinePlus www.medlineplus.gov

  Produced by the National Library of Medicine, MedlinePlus provides health professionals and consumers information that is authoritative and up to date. The database includes extensive information from the National Institutes of Health and other trusted sources on over 500 diseases and conditions. It also includes a drug database and links to clinical trials.

• PIER (Physicians' Information and Education Resources)

  PIER is an American College of Physician product that summarizes and evaluates current evidence for patient care. It also grades clinical recommendations based on the strength of the evidence available. This is available to UIC users as part of the Stat!Ref database. For subscription information see www.statref.com

• SUMSearch

  SUMSearch selects best resources for your question, formats your question for each resource, and makes all searches based on results. Focus filters such as Diagnosis, Etioloty, Physical Findings, and Screening/Prevention are availalbe. www.sumsearch.uthsca.edu

• TRIP

  The TRIP database searches over 55 sites of high-quality medical information and gives you direct links to the largest collections of evidence-based material on the web as well as articles from premiere online journals such as BMJ, JAMA, and NEJM. For subscription information, go to http://www.tripdatabase.com.